| April 22, 2009 |
|
Local
Man Charged with Assault with a Deadly Weapon |
| |
|
|
| Samuel Lamont
Wells |
Lora Michelle
Osborne |
|
| |
| Samuel Lamont
Wells, 51, of 2501 Highway 18 N Lot 16, Morganton, NC, was arrested on
April 22, 2009. He has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon with
intent to kill and filing a false police report. These charges stem from an
assault that occurred on April 17, 2009. |
| |
| On Friday,
April 17, 2009 at approximately 11:00 pm, a State Highway Patrol officer
stopped a vehicle on Highway 126, near Frank Whisnant Road, that was traveling
east toward Morganton at a high rate of speed. Once the vehicle was stopped,
the officer discovered Stacey Joe Sheppard, of 2501 Highway 18 N Lot 16,
Morganton, bleeding heavily in the back seat of the vehicle being driven by Mr.
Sheppard's girlfriend, Lora Michelle Osborne. |
| |
| During the
traffic stop, another passenger in the vehicle, Samuel Lamont Wells, told the
officer that Mr. Sheppard had been attacked by unknown suspects near Lake
James, where all three had been camping. The officer called for an ambulance to
transport Mr. Sheppard to the hospital. |
| |
| At
approximately 11:20 pm, Burke County detectives were called to continue the
investigation into the incident. The incident had been reported as an
unprovoked attack near the Linville Boat Access of Lake James; an attack that
left Mr. Sheppard severely injured and in need of advanced medical
attention. |
| |
| While Mr.
Sheppard was transported to Carolina's Medical Center in Charlotte, detectives
investigated the incident. It was being reported by Ms. Osborne and Mr. Wells
that two unknown strangers had committed the attack on Mr. Sheppard. It was
later learned by investigators that the information was false. |
| |
| Investigators
were able to determine that Mr. Sheppard and Mr. Wells were engaged in an
argument on the evening of this incident. The argument went from verbal to
physical when Mr. Wells attacked Mr. Sheppard with a knife. |
| |
| Soon after
the attack, Ms. Osborne and Mr. Wells decided to take Mr. Sheppard to the
hospital, and when they were stopped by the officer, they gave false
information as to how the injury occurred to Mr. Sheppard. This deception
continued throughout the investigation. |
| |
| As a result
of the investigation, Mr. Samuel Lamont Wells was arrested and charged with
assault with a deadly weapon and filing a false police report. He is being held
in the Burke County Jail under a $30,000.00 secured bond. His first court
appearance is scheduled for Friday, April 24, 2009. |
| |
| Ms. Lora
Michelle Osborne was arrested and charged with filing a false police report and
is being held in the Burke Catawba Detention Facility under a $1,000.00 secured
bond. Her court appearance is Friday, April 24, 2009. |
| |
| ************************************************************** |
| Other recent press
releases: |
| |
|
|
| |
| To view previous press releases, visit
our archives
file |
